Former Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes warned that companies allowing artificial intelligence to absorb entry-level work could be creating a "talent debt" by removing the experiences young workers need to develop critical thinking and judgment. In a Fortune post published Sunday, Raikes cited Microsoft Corp.'s 2026 Work Trend Index, which surveyed 20,000 workers across 10 countries, finding that critical thinking and the ability to judge AI output are becoming key workplace skills, with only 16% of workers able to move effectively between directing AI and doing the work themselves. Raikes also cited Gartner’s prediction that half of global organizations will require "AI-free" skills assessments through 2026, and a RAND Corporation study found most students using AI for homework worry it is hurting their ability to think independently. Raikes wrote universities should not use AI only to make education faster, cheaper or more focused on job credentials, but instead could free students to spend more time developing skills including judgment, collaboration, relationships and ethical reasoning. He noted community colleges alone enroll roughly 40% of U.S. undergraduates.